Kubica to take part at the Daytona 24 Hours

Formula 1 one-time race winner Robert Kubica is set to make his debut in this year's Daytona 24 Hours sportscar race with the Dutch High Class LMP2 squad.

The High Class LMP2 squad, which races in the European Le Mans Series and World Endurance Championship, made its Le Mans debut in 2019. The Dutch outfit has now announced that Alfa Romeo F1 Team reserve driver Robert Kubica would drive an ORECA-Gibson 07 at the ROLEX 24 Daytona race that is scheduled for January 28-31.

„This is a new challenge and experience for me, as I have been focusing mainly on sprint races in the past,” added Kubica.

“Endurance racing requires a different approach: you are sharing the car with your team-mates, with whom I am happy to enter this challenge, and I also look forward to reaching the finish line of this demanding race with them.

“The car is also new, as it is the first time I will race an ORECA LMP2 car, but I hope for a smooth transition, even when sharing the driving time, so we can focus on our work and preparation for the race,” he concluded.

The Polish driver will race alongside Ferdinand Habsburg and team regulars Anders Fjordbach and Dennis Andersen.

Kubica has previous experiences with sportscar as he took part in the Mugello 12 Hours in March 2016, driving a a GT3 Mercedes. In the same year, he competed in the Renault Sport Trophy at the Spa round of the season.

In January 2017, he took part in the first round of the 24H Series, the Dubai 24 Hour, driving a Förch Racing Porsche 911 GT3. He also tested an LMP1 car at Bahrain at the end of 2016 and was signed by the ByKolles privateer LMP1 team in the FIA World Endurance Championship. However, that endeavour ended early as Kubica announced ahead of the season that he would not participate.

Elsewhere, Stoffel Vandoorne revealed that he would return to the WEC in an Oreca 07 entered by JOTA Sport in the LMP2 category. The Belgian driver will continue to participate at the FIA Formula E 2021 World Championship where he ended up second in the Drivers’ Standings last year.

Vandoorne, who has been serving as Mercedes F1 Team’s reserve driver, has already competed in two previous World Endurance Championship races.